Happy Halloween!

In this part of the world Halloween or All Souls Day has always been celebrated as a spooky occasion where you're given the chance to remember the souls of your dearly departed loved ones by offering a prayer for them or going to the cemetery. I never really saw it as a fun occasion where you get to wear weird and scary costumes. Not until my nephew JB asked me to go trick or treating with him at SM Mall of Asia. He begged me to buy a costume for him, which I gladly did. Seeing his face light up at the sight of the skeleton costume is priceless. He was so excited about getting all those candies from different stores and seeing other kids wearing costumes. After a few hours of walking then eating at Shakeys we decided to go home. JB was so tired that when his head touched the pillow he just immediately went to sleep.

Here are some pictures of him wearing the costume. I didn't have the chance to take a picture of him at the mall since all he wanted to do was get candies. Hehe..

JayL Aquino's Mini Birthday Contest

As a way of celebrating his birthday, blogger JayL Aquino is having a mini contest with lots and lots of prizes and winners.

Prizes:

1st - P500 worth of SM Gift Certificate (or PayPal money with the same value)
2nd -P300 worth of SM Gift Certificate (or PayPal money with the same value)
3rd - P200 worth of SM Gift Certificate (or PayPal money with the same value)
4th - Three Exclusive Movie Shirts
5th - P100 worth of mobile loads (or PayPal money with the same value)
6th - P100 worth of mobile loads (or PayPal money with the same value)
7th - P100 worth of mobile loads (or PayPal money with the same value)
8th - P100 worth of mobile loads (or PayPal money with the same value)
9th - P100 worth of mobile loads (or PayPal money with the same value)
10th - P100 worth of mobile loads (or PayPal money with the same value)

Mechanics:

Do at least two (2) of the following: TWIT, FACEBOOK, or PLURK.

If you choose TWITTER, tweet this:

it's JayL Aquino's birthday & he is having a contest!! follow him @jay_elx & visit http://www.blog-ph.com/2010/10/bdaycontest.html for more.

If you choose PLURK, you must plurk this:

it's JayL Aquino's birthday & he is having a contest!! be a fan of @jay_elx & visit http://www.blog-ph.com/2010/10/bdaycontest.html for more.

If you choose FACEBOOK, you must make this as your status:

it's the birthday of JayL Aquino [Blogger] and he is having a mini contest sponsored by SM City Marilao. Like these page and visit http://www.blog-ph.com/2010/10/bdaycontest.html for more info.

Don't forget to tag the two Facebook Pages above and make your status visible to EVERYONE. After you do at least two of the above, just leave your link on the comment section in BLOG-PH.com

Also visit JayL's other blogs Jay.eLx and Food Trip.info

Contest ends on November 20.

Criminal Minds

If you're into psychological thrillers, you'll definitely enjoy watching Criminal Minds. It's about a group of agents from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico, Virginia who catch serial killers and rapists by profiling them and studying how their minds work. I just finished watching Seasons 4 and 5 on DVD and I must say that this TV series is not for everyone. At least not for those with weak stomachs. But I like it though because it makes the viewers think. You somewhat get involved in solving the crime or finding out who the serial killer is in each episode. It's a very intelligent and exciting drama series. To be able to catch a killer one must think like one. I really think that police officers or just about anyone who is associated with fighting crime should watch this because they'll learn a lot from it. The episode where the wife of Aaron Hotchner, the FBI Unit Chief, (played by Thomas Gibson) was killed by the Reaper (the notorious serial killer who escaped from prison and became obsessed with killing Hotchner) was really touching. I like the fifth season more than the fourth. The episodes are more controversial, weirder, and harder to solve. Criminal Minds also stars Joe Mantegna, Matthew Gray Gubler, Paget Brewster, Shemar Moore, AJ Cook and Kirsten Vangsness.

Empanaditas Recipe

I seldom cook but when I do, I make sure it's delicious and something that my whole family would enjoy. Last Sunday some of my relatives came over to spend the day with us. We served dishes such as baked macaroni, fried chicken, baked mussels, chopsuey (mixed vegetables with pork), and Caesar's Salad. It was a truly enjoyable meal with lots of talk and laughter. I also made Empanaditas, a delightful recipe for dessert. This is very easy to make because it doesn't have that much ingredients. It's also budget-friendly which is important in these uncertain times. All you need to make this dessert are the following: flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, milk, cooking oil, and fruit jam. The first thing that you have to do is to sift flour with salt and baking powder then add sugar and sift again. Mix milk and oil and make a well in flour mixture and then pour the milk mixture. By using a fork, mix the flour and liquid so as to make a soft dough. After that, roll out the dough on a board that's slightly floured (1/4 inch thick). Use a cookie cutter to cut round pieces and then place half a spoon of fruit jam (you can choose whatever fruit you like - strawberry, mango, banana, peach etc.) in the middle of each dough. Sprinkle the edges with a little bit of water then fold over one half of the circle and by using a fork, press the edges. Lastly, fry the dough in cooking oil until it's golden brown. It's that easy. A really ideal dessert for people who always seem to run out of time.

The Alienist

Reading for me is a form of relaxation and enjoyment. Unfortunately, I don't get to read as often as I want to but I want to promise myself that from now on I'm going to make an effort to read more. One of the most amazing novels I've read is The Alienist. I was a bit intimidated by the thick paperback and I didn't really know anything about Caleb Carr, the novel's author, but as soon as I started reading I had trouble putting the book down. I just wanted to finish the whole book in one sitting. It's that riveting and interesting. Caleb Carr is a master story teller. It feels as if you're part of the whole scene and while the serial killer is butchering his victims, you're actually there watching the morbid crime. I was never fond of reading period paperbacks, but this one is different. The whole story happened in the 19th century but somehow it's similar to modern times. Brutal murders still take place. The book is suspenseful, scary and excellently written. It's the kind that makes you think hard. But if you hate violence, this one is definitely not for you. Nevertheless, The Alienist is an unforgettable piece of work.   

Finally Got Buffaloed!

You guys know how much of a contest freak I am because the feeling of winning is just amazing. I again won in a contest by Dash Estefani of Pieces of a Wunderkind's Mind. I'm actually one of the five winners chosen from the 8th, 18th, 30th, 44th, and 60th posters (I'm the 30th). My prize: a Buffalo's Wings N' Things VIP Card and discount coupons (shown above held by my cute nephew) which enables the bearer to have freebies such as free nachos and salsa on their birthday month, free Chicken Fingers N Dip with a minimum single receipt delivery or dine-in purchase of P750, free pitcher of featured cocktail of the day or iced tea with a minimum single receipt dine-in purchase of P750 and many more freebies amounting to P1,250!

I won via a randomizer so I can say that I really am lucky and I can't wait to try out the many delectable dishes of Buffalo's Wings N' Things.

Style and Soul Giveaway

For reaching 100++ followers, Style and Soul is having an awesome giveaway with lots and lots of prizes courtesy of Ichigo Shoes, Auxmanila, Archive Clothing and Trunk Show

  
First Prize: 

1. A pair of Ichigo's yellow Coral flats in your own shoe size! 
2. An Auxmanila blue green blazer 
3. Archive Clothing plaid blazer 
4. 5 pcs of Trunkshow 10% discount cards & P600 worth of GC!
  
Second Prize: 

1. A white pullover from Auxmanila
2. Animal print polo top from F-STOP 
3. 5 pcs of Trunkshow 10% off discount cards


Checkout  http://styleandsoul.blogspot.com/2010/10/finally-giveaway.html  for the mechanics and for more details.

 Contest is until October 25.

 

Skysenshi.com's Missha Giveaways

Skysenshi.com is giving away fabulous Korean beauty products namely two sets of Missha Mini 6 Colors Lip Palettes and Perfect Cover BB Creams. There will be 2 raffle draws (October 23 and 30).

Contest Mechanics:

1. Become a member of Skysenshi's Hermitage by liking the Facebook page so that you can...
2. Like this photo of Missha Mini 6 Colors Lip Palette & Perfect Cover BB Cream.

Isn't it a breeze to win these prizes? So better checkout the site (http://www.skysenshi.com/2010/10/missha-giveaways.html) and join now.

Outsourcing Job

I have been kinda anxious and definitely tired this past two days because of a freelance job as a Facebook Researcher I applied for. I just hope that I get accepted because the three-stage phase for qualifying for the job was really quite difficult. I did a lot of research work, writing, and analyzing. I'm not gonna mention the job at this point since I'm not sure if I'm gonna get it but for sure I'll blog about it once I get accepted. The outsourcing job pays through Paypal and they're a legit company. I searched in Facebook for people who did the same project for the company and they assured me that they indeed paid workers. All I can do now is wait for the result and I'm praying that they get in touch with me asap since I waited two days for the result of the second phase. Imagine 2 days of anticipation! Anyway, I'm also excited and really looking forward to this job. 

Chile Miners Rescued

I read this morning at Yahoo News that the last of the 33 miners trapped 2,300 ft. deep underground in the San José copper-gold mine near Copiapo, Chile has been rescued already. Thank God for that. The men were trapped for 69 days and were rescued yesterday using the Phoenix rescue capsule. The rest of the world watched as each men emerged from the capsule beeming with happiness and looking as if they didn't stay underground for more than 2 months. This story is really amazing because it shows the strength of the human spirit amidst suffering and trials. I couldn't imagine being in their place. I'd probably go crazy in a week's time. But I'm sure the men were able to get over their ordeal through a lot of prayers and the love and support of their families and friends. I truly admire each men for being courageous and for believing that indeed with prayers you can move mountains.

Sulit.com.ph: The Best Buy and Sell Website in the Philippines

Life is all about doing the things you love and maximizing your potential in what ever field you are in or the interests that you have. I personally love to read and write that's why I'm into blogging. I'm also musically inclined that's why I took up piano lessons when I was a kid. Other interests would be fashion and business. When I was in college I remember selling fruit cakes and brownies to my closest friends and classmates. Now I have an online shop that sells everything from clothes, bags, accessories, beauty items to books and CDs. I'm also a member of Sulit.com.ph's ever growing community of sellers, buyers, advertisers, and jobseekers. I have sold a couple of items in Sulit.com.ph and for that I'm very thankful to them. The possibility of your products getting sold is really high because the site is very popular and thousands if not millions of people visit and browse through the site everyday. I have also advertised some of my online money making sites to get referrals and fortunately some signed up through my links. I also found a potential freelance job which I hope I'll be able to get. The possibility of earning extra income are endless for Sulit.com.ph members. Not only that, if you love to shop you can score some really affordable and great stuff there. If you're not yet a member better hurry and sign up for free so as to start taking advantage of Sulit.com.ph's many features.

Visit http://www.sulit.com.ph now!

Microworkers

As I was surfing through some blogs I chanced upon the site Make Money Online where I saw a couple of money making opportunities worth checking out. One of them is Microworkers, the site that connects employers and workers from around the world. You can choose to be an employer by assigning small tasks to active Workers who in turn get paid after completing the job you assigned or you can be a worker where your payment depends on the task you took. Most tasks are simple like signing up to a website and commenting on forums and usually pay $0.10-$0.15 per task while others are a bit difficult but pay more from $0.45 to $1 per task. The higher paying jobs though usually require you to have a blog with a page rank of 1 to 3 to be able to do the task. The good thing about Microworkers is that you're given $1 instantly upon signing up. Once you reach $9 you'll be able to cashout through Paypal. I haven't reached payout yet since I joined only last week but I expect to in 2 weeks. If you have a blog with a high page rank you'll be able to do more jobs and reach payout faster but if you don't it might take you some time to cashout. They also have a referral system where you will receive $1 once the person you refer earns a minimum of $25.

Visit http://www.microworkers.com/?Id=8fb0a8d8 for more details.

Recipe: Spaghetti with Garlic and Bread Crumbs

Sundays are always special. It's spent mostly with our family and loved ones. So what better way to spend it than to eat something really delicious. Since I didn't want to go out, I spent the morning browsing through my favorite pasta recipe book to figure out what I would cook. I must agree that I'm not much of a chef. As a matter of fact I seldom cook. But I do love to eat and there are times when I like to get my hands dirty in the kitchen. So I chose a really simple dish which I knew I would be able to prepare easily with positive results. I actually got the recipe from Treats Just Great Recipes Spaghetti and it's called Spaghetti with Garlic and Bread Crumbs.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (125 ml.) extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups (175 g.) day-old bread, crumbled
2 table spoons finely chopped fresh oregano or
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 lb (500 g) spaghetti
Freshly ground black pepper


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the bread crumbs and oregano and saute until the bread crumbs have browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Drain and add to the pan with the bread crumb mixture. Toss over medium heat until the sauce sticks to the pasta, 1-2 minutes. Season with pepper and serve hot.

Book Review: One Hundred Years of Solitude

I've always been an avid reader ever since I was a small girl but nowadays I no longer read novels as often as I used to because of time constraints. There is one though that I would love to read again if I had the luxury of time. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is the best novel I've read in my entire life. I've read alot of good reviews about 'Love in the Time of Cholera' so I decided to read 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' which alot of people say is far better. I was intimidated at first by the book's many characters and their confusing names which can be seen in a family tree in the first page. But as soon as I started reading, I just couldn't stop. Legendary writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez was really a genius. One Hundred Years of Solitude brings to life magical characters so vividly described and the way Marquez has intertwined each character's life and the things that happened to them in a period of 100 years in such a cohesive and fluid way is simply amazing to me. Readers are transported in a fantasy world that seemed so real. I like the book's mixture of drama and comedy. I got confused a couple of times with the characters but I looked at the family tree every now and then. The book is meant to be savored and read slowly so as to get a clear picture of each scene. One Hundred Years of Solitude is truly a classic and not to read it would be a sin.

The Adventurous Little Prince

I find this blog (http://www.jeromejames.info/) really cute because it's written from the point of view of a child. I have a 5-year old nephew who will definitely identify with this blog and would most certainly like reading it. I like the simple baby blue layout with all its pictures of balloons and airplanes. It chronicles the daily life of Jerome James, all his adventures and musings. There are a lot of cute pictures of Jerome and I'm easily reminded of JB (my nephew). The blog has many categories like Blogging, Contests, Babies and Kids, Mommy Moments, Music, School Time etc. In school time Jhay Jhay (Jerome's nickname) narrates about how he likes his school and having well-behaved classmates. If ever you don't have kids and you read this blog you'll have a pretty good idea of how the mind of a child works. I had fun reading the posts and somewhat entertained the idea of also writing a blog about kids which I think a lot of moms out there will appreciate. Do check out the site at http://www.jeromejames.info/ and follow it.

Monterey Meatshop Promo

I'm so happy I'm one of the winners for the 2nd draw for Monterey Meatshop's Facebook Promo. I received my P1,000 gift certificates (five P200 denominations) delivered right at my doorstep by LBC. I haven't bought anything yet but I will definitely spend them one of these days. No worries since they're valid until December 31, 2010. Monterey has a variety of products available such as Boneless Porkchops, Beef Tocino, Embutido Timplado, Filipino Bacon, Ground Beef, Lamb Chops, Longanisa Recado, Pork BBQ Skewered, Ox Face, Pork Steak and a lot more. However, the GCs can only be used in Monterey neighborhood meatshops listed at the back of the GCs (not valid in Monterey Supermarket Meatshops). Nevertheless, I'm still elated I won.

You guys can still join because the contest is until October 15, 2010. There will be 10 winners weekly of P1,000 GCs. For more information visit http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/MontereyMeatshop?v=app_4949752878.

Also visit http://www.monterey.com.ph/ for delicious Monterey recipes.